Pakistan summons Indian envoy over scrapping of Article 370

Islamabad: Pakistan summoned Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria to the Foreign Office on Monday and conveyed a "strong demarche on the announcements made and actions taken" by the Government of India over Jammu and Kashmir.

The Indian government on Monday revoked Article 370 of the Constitution which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and proposed that the state be bifurcated into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Foreign Office said in a statement that Bisaria was summoned by Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood.

"The Foreign Secretary conveyed Pakistan's unequivocal rejection of these illegal actions as they are in breach of international law and several UN Security Council resolutions," the statement said.

Pakistan's "resolute condemnation of the unlawful actions aimed at further consolidating the illegal occupation" of Jammu and Kashmir was underscored, it added.

The foreign secretary also condemned the "preceding pre-meditated steps" such as complete lock-down of Kashmir, deployment of additional troops, the imposition of curfew, the house arrest of Kashmiri leaders and suspension of communication services, among others, it said.

Pakistan's consistent opposition to all Indian "attempts to change the demographic structure and final status" of Jammu and Kashmir was emphasized, the statement said.

The foreign secretary called upon India to "halt and reverse its unlawful and destabilizing actions, ensure full compliance with UN Security Council resolutions, and refrain from any further action that could entail serious implications."

He reiterated that Pakistan will continue to extend political, diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiri people's "struggle for realisation of their inalienable right to self-determination."